


Gravity

by Sparrowesque (ishipalltheship)



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bisexual Lance (Voltron), Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gay Keith (Voltron), Gay Shiro (Voltron), Hurt/Comfort, Keith/Lance (Voltron) Angst, Lance (Voltron) Angst, M/M, Pining Allura (Voltron), Pining Keith (Voltron), Pining Lance (Voltron), Season 7 Spoilers, Slow Burn, Spoilers, klance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-26
Updated: 2018-10-09
Packaged: 2019-07-02 20:12:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,534
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15803751
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ishipalltheship/pseuds/Sparrowesque
Summary: GRAVITY(noun)1. the force that attracts a body towards the centre of the earth, or towards any other physical body having mass.2. extreme importance; seriousness.Since returning to earth, Lance has begun to realise the truly devastating reality of his current relationships. Outcast and typically alone, he attempts to seek comfort in his lions and a familiar male with a mullet. But with lions that refuse him, a secret (or two) Keith refuses to speak aloud, and a princess seemingly head over heels, Lance quickly finds himself in the deep end, the weight of the world on his shoulders. What’s new? Lance attempts to find out. Welcome home, Sharpshooter.(WARNING: SEASON 7 SPOILERS)





	1. The Communicator.

Seated in front of his old lion, as grand and gorgeous as ever, Lance sighs, head resting in his hands and his elbows dig into his knees. “Today was a day,” he starts, talking to the metal giant as he would every other day. “Veronica completely disregarded me again, like I’m still a child… Allura won’t talk to me properly anymore for some reason. Hunk and Pidge are always off doing their weird nerd stuff, and Keith seems… Busy? Or something? I don’t know. I don’t really think he likes me much anymore. He’s been so moody…”

 

Studying the face of the beast, the lion responsible for the past few years, Lance notes the new scratches, aware of the fact that ‘new’ meant ‘acquired over the past year or so’. Regardless, he was in awe, taking particular interest in the gash across her jaw and the dent on the side of her muzzle.

 

“How’ve you been?” He asks, hopeful. The lion doesn't respond, doesn’t even appear to acknowledge him. Behind him, an estranged growl seems to call, deep and displeased. Turning his head back to face the lion, he gives a weak smile. “You too boy. How’re you going?”

 

Neither lion responds.

 

“Still giving me the silent treatment huh…” Lance huffs, taking a moment before getting to his feet. “I guess I should go then. I’ll see you two tomorrow when I get the chance.”

 

Exiting the hangar, Lance ventures back to one of the lecture rooms, making his way up the back to where he’d left his jacket a few hours earlier. With a frown, he glances around the room, as spacious and intimidating as ever. Sitting cross-legged on the table, he hums, trying to commit the scribble on the boards at the front of the room to memory. As he does, two familiar figures enter the room, making their way over to the far side of the room and taking up a single notebook and jacket. Struggling not to stare, Lance chews his lip, taking his phone from his pocket and snapping a quick photo of the scribble in front of him. Keith and Krolia move to the front of the room, talking between each other, Keith’s hands clenched by his sides.

 

Raising a brow, Lance watches quietly as Keith turns on his heels and storms out the door, leaving Krolia alone.

 

As the woman turns to face the boy, Lance quickly turns his head, trying to act as though he hadn’t seen anything. Krolia saw right through the act.

 

“Lance,” she calls, voice as stiff as ever, as though English left a stale taste on her tongue. “Did you hear any of that?”

 

Startled, Lance shakes his head, frowning. “I didn’t hear any of it,” he responds honestly, watching her make her way up the back of the room towards him. “Should I have?”

 

The woman sighs; sitting down beside the boy as she stares at the door Keith stormed out of. “No… No need. To be honest, I’m not sure Keith really needs the answers he’s asking for either.” She frowns. “Children can be difficult at times... I’ve never really had the opportunity to spend much time with mine. I wish I had.”

 

Lance laughs nervously. “That’s not really your fault entirely though, right? Sometimes we have to leave in order to protect the ones we love, or at least give them a better chance.”

 

Krolia turns to face him, interest sparking as she raises a brow and hums. “You tried to leave, but Keith beat you to it, yes?”

 

Lance furrows his brow, glancing down at his knees. “Yeah, I did... Sometimes? Sometimes I wish I did and Keith stayed, but then I see him with you and I think it was probably the best thing for him anyway.”

 

The woman sighs, running a hand through her hair. “I don’t know if that’s true exactly. I love him, dearly, but I fear he’s more at risk with me around.”

 

Lance raises a brow, glancing back up. “At risk from what?”

 

“The truth,” she mutters, glancing down at the handmade bracelet around her wrist, something Lance hadn’t paid much mind to until now. “Sometimes the answers we seek are the more painful alternatives. We place so many expectations in the benefits of discovering the truth, yet very rarely does it live up to those expectations.”

 

Lance falls silent, staring at his shoes as he fidgets with the laces. “Listen, Krolia, you never got to know Keith before, but he wasn’t good. Meeting you was probably the greatest thing to ever happen to him. He has a home to come back to, a family, a mother to admire and to fight for. He loves you, and I’m not sure I’ve ever seen him really love anyone before you.”

 

Krolia pauses, glancing over at Lance with a small smile. “Thank you. I’m not sure he fights for me though. You’re a strong person, Lance. I’ve heard a lot about you over the years.”

 

Lance hesitates, frowning deeply. “I’m not sure why, honestly. But, uh, I have an old jacket of Keith’s that he left when he joined the Blade of Marmora. Could you give it back to him for me?”

 

Krolia smiles and stands. “Lance, I’m sorry, but I think that’s something you need to do on your own. I can see through you child. Keith’s father used to look at me the same way you look at Keith. I know.”

 

“You... you do?” Lance croaks, stunned.

 

Krolia laughs softly, though it reminds him a little of a steak knife against bone china. “I do. Don’t give up on Keith. He needs you more than you realise. Now, if you don’t mind, I need to find my son and give him some of those answers he’s after.”

 

Watching as the woman leaves, Lance forces himself to stand, frowning as he glances down at his open palm, thoughts interrupted by a sudden buzz of his cellphone in his jacket pocket.

 

Slipping his phone from his pocket, the size and shape of the device still unusual, his eyes fall on the unknown number spamming his lock screen. Taking it out, he raises a brow, an unknown number appearing on his screen.

 

**Unknown number: ‘Lance! It’s me!’**

 

Confused, Lance types back quickly, **‘who is me?’**

 

**Unknown number: ‘Allura!’**

 

Releasing a small laugh, Lance adds the new number to his contacts, briefly wondering if it was Pidge or Hunk that was teaching the princess how to use a phone. As though his question had been heard, his phone starts to ring. Pressing the green button, he holds the device to his ear.

 

 _“Lonce!”_ Allura laughs, pronouncing his name in that posh manner that makes his spine tingle. “Pidge and Hunk gave me this communicator! Now I can call you and the other paladins whenever I like. Is that okay?” She asks, her childish laughter making his heart ache.

 

“Yeah, that’s always okay Allura,” he responds softly, smiling as he glances over at the door. Keeping the phone pressed to his ear, he stands, taking his jacket up from the desk and tossing it over his shoulder, slowly making his way over to the door.

 

“Hey Lance,” Hunk booms through the speaker, “what ringtone should we set her phone to?”

 

In the background, Coran’s desperate squawking echoes: _“I want one too you know!”_

 

As Lance closes the door behind him, he chuckles, pondering songs for the princess. The moment Lance opens his mouth to respond, Pidge cuts him off, “I know the perfect one!”

 

In a matter of seconds, the phone call ends and Lance is left with a silence that gnaws at his bones, those dark thoughts of isolation resurfacing. Biting his lower lip, Lance marches down the hallway and out the door, gripping his phone as though the fate of the world depended on it.

 

As the night air kisses his skin, he shivers, biting his lip just that little bit harder. Dropping his phone into his pocket, he slips on his jacket. “Damn, it’s so cold…” he mutters, scuffing his shoes on the concrete as he grimaces. “Like that phone call I guess…”

 

Sorrow swallows him whole as the realization that, just like in space, nothing had really changed. Adjusting his jacket, he sighs, burying his hands in his pockets, fingertips brushing against his phone. Nothing had changed much, not even between him and Keith.

 

“I wonder if Keith has a phone…” he mumbles, slowly making his way to the other side of the garrison. Unable to go home, the paladins were forced to stay at the garrison, but the only thing Lance wanted was to go home. Unmotivated, tainted by doubt, Lance sits on the ground, back pressed up against the wall as he stares out at the destruction ahead of him.

 

Did home still exist? Did his home still look the same? Was the old guy that owned the ice-cream store down the road still alive? Were his daughters okay? How… How many people had he known and not appreciated? How many of them were dead?

 

As a tear rolls down his cheek, the sound of footsteps approaching from behind sparks his interest, causing him to quickly dry his eyes and attempt to press himself as far into the wall as possible in hopes of avoiding whoever was out there.

 

“Lance?” asks a familiar voice, smooth and enticing. He speaks softly, walks slowly. “What’re you doing out here?”

 

Swallowing hard, Lance glances up, met with the gentle eyes of a leader, his mullet pulled back with a hair tie. “Keith,” he croaks, coughing to try and clear his throat. “I’m uh, I’m just taking in the fresh air. Been a while.”

 

Keith frowns, hesitantly taking a step forward. “We’ve been here a month now Lance,” He reflects, voice softening. “It’s strange being back here after all this time.”

 

Sitting down beside Lance, Keith huffs, taking out his knife and turning it over in his hands. “Krolia said she spoke with you earlier and you convinced her to talk to me somehow.” Glancing over at the boy, he gives a light smile. “I’m not sure how you did it, but thank you.”

 

Perking up slightly, Lance tilts his head, turning himself to see the boy just that little bit easier. “Anytime man. Did uh… Did she tell you anything helpful?”

 

Keith hums, resting his head against the wall with a soft thud. “Not really, but part of it is what I expected. Turns out I do have a family after all.” He scoffs, closing his eyes. “No one seems to like telling me anything, especially when it’s about me.”

 

Lance hesitates, resting his hand on Keith’s shoulder. “Don’t take it too personal man…”

 

“How can I even avoid that? Lance, everyone talks to you. Everyone does. My own mother had to speak to you before speaking to me. What’s that meant to mean?”

 

Lance laughs, grimacing. “Keith, dude, people only talk to me when they want something. It’s always like that. After you left, it only got worse. I’m like… disposable or something I guess.”

 

Keith opens his eyes quickly, watching the boy carefully as he listens. “You’re not disposable Lance. You’re the furthest from disposable. Listen,” he rasps, frowning slightly as he pauses, as though pondering some mammoth secret. “Leave the math to Pidge? That was probably the stupidest thing I could have said to you back then, and I’m… I’m sorry.”

 

Lance opens his mouth to counteract, but Keith shakes his head to silence him. “It was stupid because sure, math _is_ Pidge’s thing, but you work harder than anyone else ever does. You can do anything you want really.”

 

Dumbfounded, Lance squeaks as he attempts to speak, shoulders slumped forward as he leans in a little closer, trying to see if Keith was well… _Keith_.

 

“You really think that?” He asks after a few moments.

 

Keith hums, frown as prominent as ever. “Of course I do. I think I’ve always thought that.”

 

Lance slumps back against the wall then, eyes wide in shock as he stares out over the ruined landscape, a barren and dry land, tiny patches of green beginning to return. “I… I didn’t expect that, sorry.”

 

As a gentle hand rests on his shoulder, Lance glances over at Keith through the corners of his eyes, noting the way his fringe falls against his face and the stray hairs deny the hair tie. Gaze falling to rest on the large, purple scar protruding from his neck up to his cheekbone, Lance releases a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding in. Beneath the moonlight and orange lights along the wall behind them, Lance found himself slipping, his eyes taking in as much of the boy in front of him as possible. “Thank you,” he croaks finally, earning a small smile from Keith in return. As the boy withdraws his hand, Lance regains his tongue.

 

“You said you had family? Beside your dad and Krolia?”

 

Keith hums, glancing down at the knife he still held. “Yeah. It’s kind of complicated, but Acxa is my half-sister, and Kolivan is dating Krolia and it’s just… A mess.”

 

Admiring the way Keith’s eyebrows knit together when he frowns, small creases between them forming, Lance clicks his tongue, the boys words slowly mapping themselves out in his mind. Shifting his position again once more, he closes his eyes briefly. “Wait so… I thought Acxa was half Galra?”

 

Keith nods, scoffing. “She is. Krolia met some random alien called Yorak or something, but he died before she was born. She gave her up when she was young, and then disappeared to Earth where she met my dad. Pretty great, huh,” he mutters, studying his reflection in the blade of his knife.

 

“Okay, I’m not gonna lie, that’s kind of wild. You have a whole alien family and through Voltron you managed to connect with them? That’s like… That’s amazing actually.”

 

“I guess so,” he mumbles.

 

“Dude, I know so.” Lance pauses grinning. “That’s probably one of the coolest things I’ve heard actually. You thought you just had your dad, turns out you have a mom, a sister and a step dad too.” His grin softens as he continues. “Is that conversation the reason why you’re still out here? I didn’t see you or Krolia talking when I was leaving.”

 

As a small smile forms at the corners of his lips, Keith sheaths his knife and tucks it away, returning his gaze to the boy beside him. “Yeah, I ended up going for a walk around after. The conversation was a lot quicker than I thought it would be. Why’re you here though?”

 

Lance laughs softly at that, nerves and embarrassment tickling at his pride. “I was with Blue? I know it sounds stupid, but I like to think there’s still something there… I mean, Red is great and all, but I miss my girl too…”

 

Keith glances up at the moon overhead, eyes glazed over in reflection as though a dark shadow had suddenly passed through him. Lance follows his gaze. “I get it. I miss Red sometimes too.”

 

After a few moments, Keith pulls himself to his feet with a heavy sigh. “I’m going back to my room. Are you coming?”

 

Lance shakes his head, drawing his knees close to his chest. “Nah… I’ll stay here a while longer.”

 

“Okay then,” Keith mutters, “I’ll see you in the morning then.”

 

As his form disappears into the distance, Lance sighs, whispering into the cold night air, “good night…”


	2. What We Think We Know

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance spends some time with Veronica and they talk things over. Keith plays fetch with Kosmo and puts Lance in an awkward situation. Lance talks to the lions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi all! I'm so sorry for the wait. This chapter took a lot longer to post than I wanted, and each time I tried to, something got in the way. Ugh. Thank you so much for your patience, and thank you even more for the continued interest. I hope you like this chapter! Let me know your thoughts in the comments! 
> 
> Thanks for reading!

Sprawled out on his bed, legs raised against the wall, Lance glances over at Hunk as he stands by the door, eyes locked on his phone. Frowning, Lance glances back at the ceiling, moving his feet slightly to the music playing through his headphones. He’d failed to get Keith’s number, but they’d still talked. That had to be a good thing, right?

Removing his headphones, Lance turns his head back to Hunk, brow raised as the familiar sense of abandonment seeps in. “Who’re you texting?”

Hunk grins, eyes remaining glued to the screen. “Oh, it’s just Pidge, Allura, Romelle, Coran and I. This group chat is crazy dude, you’ve got no idea.”

Crossing his legs against the wall, Lance raises an arm in the air, momentarily entertained by his hand as he allows it to flop about. “I didn’t know there was a group chat.”

At that, Hunk glances up and over at the boy, cringing slightly as though Lance had asked a question he didn't want to battle with. He most likely had. “Ah, well… yeah. Pidge thought it would be a good idea if we try and help them out with learning to text and stuff. It seemed like a good idea y’know?”

Lance hums, lowering his arm again, his hand resting on his stomach. “Yeah, that sounds like a good idea,” he mumbles, struggling to disguise the pain in his voice, the pain of being left out again. “How’re they going with it?" 

Hunk smiles small, momentarily flicking his gaze back to the phone to read a new message. “Yeah, yeah they’re doing really well actually. I’m kind of impressed, but then,” he laughs, “they are aliens from a super advanced planet! Tech is different here, but they seem to manage pretty well. It’s just all the other stuff they don’t seem to get.”

Whisked back to the memory of when he’d first showed Allura and Coran how to milk a cow (Kaltenecker), mystified by their horror of the process, Lance snorts, a grin forming on his lips. “That’s not really a surprise honestly. I’d like to take them to see a heap of farm animals and the beach sometime.”

Grinning, Hunk sets his phone down on the table by the door, focused entirely on Lance. “I’m sure they’d love that. Are you planning on heading home soon? I think we’re being released in a couple of weeks…” The boy frowns, holding his chin as he tries to recall the conversation with Commander Iverson properly.

Shuffling back on the mattress and sitting up, Lance shrugs, playing idly with the blanket beneath him. “I’m not sure how much longer we have left, but man,” Lance grins, eyes closed as the memory of his mother’s homemade meals wafts beneath his nose, filling his heart with love. “I can’t wait to go home. They’re gonna have to _drag_ me from the house when we get called back here. I’m not leaving." 

Knowingly, Hunk nods as he hums, picking his phone up again. “Dude, I think they’ll have to do that for all of us. I really miss my parents’ hugs and my mom’s cooking.”

Shuffling over to the edge of the bunk, Lance grins, allowing himself to drop off the edge, landing in a crouch on the ground. “I miss my mom’s hugs, and her garlic knots, and the beach, and my siblings and my bed and, and-“ he sighs wistfully, “I just miss home really.”

Sitting himself down on the chair beside the bunks, Hunk hesitates, lightheartedness slowly drifting. “My parents haven’t really said much about home. They were taken so… I’m not even sure if I have a home right now. I don’t know what to expect when I get there.”

Cross-legged on the floor, Lance frowns then shrugs a few moments after. “Home doesn’t have to be a place. Yeah, sure, it sucks real bad losing home and your bed and all that stuff, but honestly, home can be people too.” The boy pauses, encouraged as Hunk raises a brow slightly. “It’s like, my home is my family, and Pidge has her family. You have yours, Allura, Coran and Romelle have each other, Keith has Krolia and Shiro, and Shiro has… Shiro has Keith, I guess.”

Thoughts drifting off to the tall, white haired man, he begins to wonder if Shiro had ever really had anyone to call home. When he’d disappeared on Kerberos, who mourned for him? Was Keith all Shiro had?

Interrupted by a hand on his shoulder, Lance blinks, glancing up at his friend as he stands. “That’s true. Thanks Lance,” Hunk says with a smile as bright as the sun itself. “I guess the idea of the traditional home gets a bit too much at times. Makes you forget what’s really important."

Lance smiles softly, nodding. “No problem man. I’m here if you need anything. It’s... some pretty tricky stuff right now.”

Running a hand through his hair, Hunk glances down at his phone before standing and flicking a smile back at the boy. “I know, Lance. We all know. I’m here for you too if you ever want to talk about it properly.”

With that, Hunk disappears out the door, leaving Lance alone on the floor. Sighing, he leans against the bunk, stretching his long, lanky legs out in front of him. “I know,” he mutters to himself, closing his eyes in hopes of clearing his mind.

As he does, a loud rapping at the door ensues, inspiring a deep groan from the boy as he slowly gets to his feet. “Who is it?”

“Who do you think it is?” Veronica chirps. He can feel her smirking from the other side of the door. Veronica raises a brow as the door opens, noting the handful of shirts strewn across the room. “You live like this?” 

Lance pouts, “hey, it’s not just me in here!”

“Yeah? And Hunk wears that much blue and grey? I doubt it.” Veronica quips, hand on her hip. “I came to check on you. I’m sorry I haven’t been around much lately.”

As a small smile forms on his lips, Lance gives a small shrug, as if to say _‘I don’t mind’_. Veronica continues, pushing her way into the room and allowing the door to close behind her. “I’m worried about you Lance,” she adds with a frown.

Opening his mouth to speak, Veronica leans in as though she were attempting to see right through him.

“You aren’t the same little brother I remember. Still you but… Not.”

Lance hums, smirking slightly. “I can say the same for you.” Earning a stunned stare from his sister, he continues casually. “I’m fine though. It’s just… Strange being back? There’s a lot to get used to and figure out. 

Skeptical, his sister allows his words to bury deep within her before she seems to relax again. “I don’t doubt it,” she mumbles softly, pulling her brother to her side for a hug. Resting her head against his, she gently squeezes his side as he slips his arms around her in return. “I’m proud of you, Lance…”

Releasing a shaky sigh, Lance allows himself to relax into his sisters arms, fearful of what would happen once he let go. It had been so long since he’d heard someone say that to him, to tell him he was doing a good job… Veronica was proud of him.

“You seem to think I don’t understand,” she mumbles softly, seemingly just as scared of letting him go as she pulls him in for a full hug. “You’re harder to read these days, but your face still gets dark when you overthink. I don’t know what’s going on inside that head of yours, but you don’t have to deal with it on your own anymore…” 

Swallowing hard, the boy stays silent, staring at the wall as he allows himself to take in the warmth of their embrace, willing the pain in his chest to go away. “I never thought I’d see you again,” he whispers, words caught in his throat. “I didn’t think I- you-”

Veronica gently squeezes him again, rubbing his back lightly. “I know… I know….” Placing a soft kiss to her brothers temple, Veronica sighs. “I’m just glad you’re back.” With a final pat on the back, she releases him from the hug, stepping back a little as they both eye each other.

“I’m glad you’re safe,” Lance smiles, rubbing his eyes with the backs of his hands. Veronica laughs softly, opening the door and gesturing for him to follow.

“Come on, I’ll shout you to something nicer than the crap from the cafeteria,” she chuckles as she starts wandering down the hall. With a grin, Lance laughs, closing the door to his room as he races after his sister.

“What do you have in mind?” Lance asks, hands behind his back as he slinks along beside his older sister, a small smirk plastered on her lips.

“Just a pot of something I made for myself last night.”

Lance screws up his face in disgust. “I get your left overs?”

Veronica laughs, grinning. “No, silly. I preplan my meals because I hate the stuff here. There’s nothing wrong with it. I was going to share some with you last night, but I couldn’t find you.”

Curious, Lance eyes his sister, all her favourite foods running rampant through his mind. How much had she changed? Did she still like the same things? A curious sense of sadness sweeps over him as he follows her back to her room. Guided in through the door, Lance is instantly consumed by the overwhelming scent of lavender and disinfectant, a toxic combination that itches his nose right through to the back of his skull, his lungs burning in protest.

With a small cough, Lance glances around the room. It looks normal aside from the multiple incense sticks burning on the desk, held upright by the small glass jar they leant against.

“You live like this?” he wheezes with a small smirk, remembering what his sister had said to him back in his room. She waves a hand, brushing off the comment as she leads the boy deeper into the room, opening the fridge door abruptly in his face before closing it just as quickly. Lance yelps in surprise.

“Is the space cadet afraid the fridge might bite?” she mocks, sliding the dish into the microwave and closing the door, punching in a few numbers. The microwave springs to life, the light inside turning on as it hums, the dish turning slowly.

Lance stands on the tips of his toes, attempting to see past her and into the microwave, desperate for a familiar aroma to start consuming the room. Veronica grins, pushing up her glasses with her middle finger. “Patience, young one.”

“Oh, ha-ha,” Lance chides, rolling his eyes as he points a finger at her. “Also, I have no idea how time works anymore, but I think our ages might be about the same now?”

Veronica raises a brow, interest sparking. “I had wondered. I’ve heard almost everyone’s stories by now I think, but not many of them mentioned you, so I’m not exactly sure what you did and didn’t participate in.”

“Ah,” Lance responds, frowning. “Sounds about right. Who _did_ talk about me?”

Veronica pauses for a moment, glancing away briefly as she tries to remember exactly. “Allura did, I know that. Shiro, and uh…” she pauses again, drawing a line down her face with her fingertip. “The one with the mullet and scar?” 

Lance finds himself relaxing a little, a small smile forming on his lips. “Keith. You mean Keith.”

Suddenly, the microwave starts beeping and Veronica spins on her heels, opening the microwave door as quickly as possible, steam spilling out immediately. “Do you recognize that?” She asks, putting on oven mitts and removing the dish, setting it down gently on the bench before taking up two bowls and dividing the food, scooping a serving into each bowl. Lance closes his eyes, allowing the vaguely familiar aroma to tickle his taste buds, the mouthwateringly sweet scent of citrus fruits and garlic, of roast chicken and rice.

Opening his eyes as he licks his lips, delight surging through him, he sprawls his arms out across the bench beside him. “Veronica, _I swear_ , if that's not Fricaśe de Pollo, I’m walking away _right now_.”

Veronica chuckles, turning around and placing the bowl in front of her brother. Dropping a spoon into the stew as she walks past, she leads the boy over to the small table close by. “I thought you might have forgotten,” she says casually, obviously quite pleased that he hadn’t. Before he can open his mouth again, she takes her spoon, blows at the stew, and takes a mouthful, covering her mouth as she speaks. “So, what was that look for just now?”

Confused, Lance takes his spoon, brow raised as he tries to recall what his sister was talking about. He shrugs, then takes a mouthful of food, the sweet flavor of the sultanas and salsa making his mouth water, the tangy taste of the olives and traces of orange and lime meeting him half way. He moans, melting into his seat as he closes his eyes, allowing the combination of flavours to consume him entirely.

Veronica hums, smirking slightly. She swallows before she seems to narrow her eyes on him slightly. “Keith. What’s with the blushing and distracted smile?”

Lance inhales his food and chokes, eyes wide in shock as he grips the table with one hand, sitting upright. “ _Geez_ , you can’t spring that on me!”

“Clearly, I can. Explain.”

Lance coughs, swallowing hard as panic begins to take its hold. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. Seriously.”

Veronica hums again, stirring her food a little as she peers at the boy over the tops of her glasses. Lance tries to avoid her gaze, blue eyes locked on the stew in front of him. _If he could just take the bowl and leave-_

“I doubt it. Did something weird happen?” She pries, leaning forward slightly, expression mostly blank.

Lance laughs nervously, considering the consequences of slurping the stew and running. He eyes the door, and then his stew again. “No, of course not. He’s just a friend.”

His sister seems to back off then, taking a mouthful of food, though her eyes never quite leave him. Just when he feels safe again, she adds, “a very _gay_ friend.”

 _“What?”_ Lance chokes again, incredulous.

“You heard me. He’s definitely gay. Do you think he’s cute? I mean, I don’t believe a person could look any _more_ gay than he already does.”

“Yes – I mean, no? I mean I? Veronica, _no_! Stop!” Lance splutters, face burning as he tries to hide behind his hand, desperate for silence so he could eat his lunch in peace. “I’m not talking to you about this anymore,” he mutters, slurping another spoonful.

Veronica shrugs. “Alright then. What girls did you meet out there in the abyss?”

“Actually! Keith and Krolia were stuck in some sort of abyss for like three years for them, but it was only like a few months for us. Anyway they met this girl there, Romelle, and when they came back, Keith looked so different? You know like…” he pauses, face paling as he notices his sisters knowing grin. “Wait, _no_ , I’m _not_ talking about him.” He frowns, taking another mouthful, this time humming blissfully as his teeth close down around a chunk of olive and chicken. _“Thish ish so good,”_ he moans.

His sister laughs, a soft, sweet sound that seems to echo throughout the room. He’d missed it, missed her. She was more serious now, and yet, as he eyed her from across the table, she was still the exact same. She was still his Veronica, the sister that grew up teaching him to read and encouraging him to explore the unknown, to fall in love with space and everything within it.

“Okay,” he starts with a cheeky grin, “so I met a whole bunch of girls, yeah? I think you met a few of them a couple of weeks ago, but _maaaannnn_. There’s some weird ones out there, but I also didn't know aliens could be so beautiful either? Like there’s Nyma, the yellow one with big purple eyes and the bracelets, and then there’s Queen Luxia, who was like, this mermaid? But a space mermaid? She’s nothing like in the books we used to read. Oh! There was also Squirm? I _think_ that was her name? Anyway, she was like, a rebel of the mermaids and I helped her reclaim their entire planet!”

Engrossed, Veronica listens on, silently eating her fricaśe. As Lance dives deeper into his recollection, detailing the good, the bad and the ugly, memories flooding back to him the more he spoke, the initial feeling of awe for space returns, tucked away in his chest like the carbon in a bubble. As he becomes more and more absorbed in his own tale, the two move to sit on the floor.

“So yeah, I mean I already knew he would, but Lotor ended up being even worse than Zarkon in a way? Like sure he kept the Alteans alive for a while, but using them as slaves is so not cool. One of the things that really bothers me though is the fact Allura couldn’t pick up on just how strange he was before?”

Veronica hugs her knees to her chest, glancing at her brother through the corners of her eyes, a weak smile on her lips. “She must have really loved him. Love makes you blind, and in the end loving someone is always a choice. Sure you get the magnetic attraction, but you have a choice to ignore it or not, as well as the choice to see their faults as well as their strengths…”

Lance frowns, leaning back to sprawl out on the floor, blue eyes locked on the ceiling. “That makes sense. How amazing would it be if you could just… love someone without consequence though.”

Veronica rests her chin on her arms as they cross over her knees, silent for a few moments before smiling again. “It’d be pretty great…” Pausing, she waits, watching to see if the boy beside her would go to speak up, but nothing happens.

“So,” she starts casually, releasing her knees and leaning against the wall instead. “What’s your ideal partner like then? What do you want from them?”

Lance is silent again for a moment, and Veronica wonders if he heard her at all. He didn’t fall asleep did he?

“Strong,” Lance croaks eventually, covering his mouth for a moment as he tries to clear his throat. “Strong, and selfless, and well… Real?”

“Real?” Veronica echoes, slightly confused.

Lance simply nods. “Well, yeah. They know who they are, why they are, and they don’t try to hide it. They’re just them. They don’t have to pretend, or to hide, they just do what they have to.”

Veronica hums. “I like that, but, couldn’t that be a bad thing too?”

“ _OH_ , yeah, of course it can,” Lance exclaims as though he’d thought it over a million times. “People like that are normally impulsive and kinda alone I guess. They’re complicated, but genuine. To be that sort of person is kinda hard though, so I respect anyone that is.”

“Do you think you’re real?” Veronica asks suddenly, her voice hitching.

Lance glances over at his sister, a pained smile consuming him before her eyes. “I’m not really sure. I try to be. What about you?”

For a moment, the two simply stare at each other, unspoken understanding locking them together in a pit of doubt, of uncertainty. Veronica sighs. “To be honest, I don't know if I really want a partner. I just don’t have time for it anymore.”

“That’s crazy, there’s always time,” Lance mutters, brows knitting together.

Veronica clicks her tongue, “well, who did you have time for?”

Lance falls silent again, eyes back on the ceiling. Pinks and reds battle each other in his mind, fighting for a place in his heart, deflated and consumed by years of neglect and uncertainty. Pink begins to falter, Red taking centre stage.

Lance rubs at his forehead, closing his eyes as he releases a long, frustrated sigh. “It probably sounds stupid, but since Allura chose Lotor, I’m hesitant to really say anything about it? I… I can’t tell if I’m just crushing on them or if it’s always going to be there? It’s like, as far as I can remember, I think I’ve always kind of felt this way about him, but now I notice him even more and I can’t stop myself.” Tugging at his hair, Lance sits up slowly, and for the first time, Veronica really allows herself to take note of the dark circles beneath his eyes. “I don’t know anymore,” he adds.

Veronica smiles softly, and leans over, placing a gentle hand on his knee. “You don’t always have to know, Lance. He seems real enough, but he’s probably just as clueless as you are. You’re too hard on yourself. Give yourself more credit.”

With that, she stands, brushing her uniform down before venturing over to the kitchen sink, washing their bowls from earlier. “Go talk to him.”

“Yeah how? What am I meant to talk to him about? _‘Oh hey Keith, did you know you keep me up at night? Do you want to maybe not?_ ’” Lance scoffs, springing to his feet. “That would work soooo well.”

“You’re a natural flirt Lance, you’ll be fine. Just ask for his number or something.”

  

Lance finds Keith three hours later, playing a game of fetch with Kosmo on the roof. He attempts to hide for a few moments, fixated by the sight of Keith praising the wolf with each return, bumping their heads together gently before the wolf pins him on his back, licking his face as Keith laughs, trying to push the ball of fur off him.

Suddenly, Kosmo snaps his head back to stare at Lance, and just like that, he and Keith disappear, only to reappear right in front of him.

“WOAH!” Lance cries, face burning as he mentally scolds himself. Nice work, dumbass.

“Oh, hey Lance,” Keith says coolly, standing up and brushing himself off, fingers tangled in Kosmo’s multicoloured fur. “What’re you doing up here?”

Truth be told, Lance wasn’t really sure. “I used to come up here a lot when we first started,” he lies, although it’s only a little.

Keith nods, then glances down at the pocket of his jeans, taking out a couple of dog biscuits and feeding them to Kosmo. “That’s pretty cool. It’s nice up here…”

Distracted as he watches Keith feed the wolf, Lance allows himself to relax again, hyper aware of the black t-shirt that clings to the males’ frame, of his lack of gloves, of his total… normality.

“Lance?” Keith asks, staring at him with a small frown. “Are you okay? You look kind of red.”

Startled, Lance glances away, laughing nervously as he rubs his neck. “Oh, yeah, I’m fine. I was just thinking.”

“Does it hurt?”

Stunned, Lance flicks his gaze back to Keith, noting the smirk that blesses his features, the way that messy black fringe falls over his face, partly tucked behind his left ear. Lance catches on a moment later, narrowing his eyes playfully.

“Only if it involves you.”

Keith smiles. It’s only small, but he smiles nonetheless.

Lance almost melts.

“Did you want me for something?” Keith asks softly, taking up the stick again and hurling it over the other side of the rooftop. Kosmo disappears in a flash of light, appearing at the other side with the stick, rolling over with it and growling playfully.

“Oh, uh,” Lance stammers, realizing that Kosmo had disappeared again. “Not particularly,” he lies again. “Though I was wondering if you had a phone.”

Keith watches him carefully, casually placing a hand on his hip as he raises a brow at the boy. “No, sorry. If you need to call someone Pidge is probably the best person to talk to.”

As Lance opens his mouth to speak, a heavy weight pushes him forward, electing a small squeal from him as he tumbles forward into Keith, falling directly on top of him, a very heavy wolf pinning him down.

Keith groans, though it holds a hint of laughter in it. “Sorry,” he mutters, glancing up at Lance as their eyes meet. Lance gulps, not daring to look away for even a second.

Keith was warm. He was warm and toned, and even more beautiful than Lance remembered him to be. As murky purple eyes, laced with hints of cool grey and the warmth of a summer sunset stare up at him, almost inviting him in, Lance suddenly feels a wave of dizziness wash over him. A realization of… _Of what?_

 _“I can’t breathe,”_ Keith gasps, and Lance is met with the horror that neither can he.

And just like that, Kosmo vanishes, leaving the two gasping for air as they crawl away in search of their dignity. Keith sits a little while away from Lance, greeted by the comfort of Kosmo as he lies down beside him, big fluffy head resting in his lap. Keith quietly feeds him another biscuit, rubbing his head affectionately.

Lance can’t help but stare, awestruck at the two unlikely friends. After a moment, he smiles, moving in closer again and running his fingers through Kosmo’s fur.

“I’m still not really sure how Kosmo ended up with you, but I’m glad he did,” Lance says softly, ocean eyes meeting milky purple again. 

“A lot of things happened in the quantum abyss,” Keith starts hesitantly, averting his gaze and instead seeming to study Kosmo’s nose. “Krolia and I saved him, and he just stuck around. Without him, I probably would have gone mad.”

Lance frowns, a twinge of regret blossoming in his chest. “Speaking of going space-mad, about then… I… I’m glad you stayed.”

Keith glances up quickly, eyes wide in surprise as though for the first time in his life, he could finally see it all clearly. He gulps, then glances away again. “I’m sorry if I scared you at all,” he mumbles, and Lance realises that he’s still watching him through the corners of his eyes, as though he was waiting for something to happen.

Lance laughs awkwardly, incredulous. “At all? You have no idea.” He stops then, glancing down at the black, blue and purple fur between his fingers. “Tell me something though,”

“About the game show?”

Lance pauses. “Yeah. Did you really mean it when you said you didn’t want to spend all of eternity with me?”

Keith tenses, averting his gaze entirely. “Of course not…”

After a moment, Keith stands, and it becomes quite clear that he wasn't going to say anything else on the matter.

“Okay then,” Lance mumbles, feeling ridiculous once again.

Keith turns back to him, a pained expression on his face as he does. “It’s getting kinda late. You should go talk to the lions before it gets too late.”

Lance nods, getting to his feet as he watches Keith and Kosmo vanish once again.

 

 

Not long after, Lance finds himself in front of Red, eyes cast upwards to stare at the great metal face. He frowns, mind attempting to analyse everything that had happened with Keith. ‘Of course not,’ he remembers. Why was Keith so… sure? And yet, so incredibly distanced all at once? Lance sits between Red and Blue again.

“He doesn’t really seem to like talking to me much anymore, and he looks so sad…” Lance mutters, fidgeting with the laces of his shoes. “But he didn’t exactly brush me off either? I went there to find him and get his number, which he doesn't have, so… Is it okay for me to still feel left out? He doesn’t have a phone… So he’s not avoiding me, and he’s not pushing me away.” He glances up again, eyes trained on Red as though he expected the stubborn lion to be clinging to his every word. “Do you think he’s okay with me being around him again?”

The lion says nothing. Lance sprawls himself out on the ground. 

“Keith and Kosmo make such a nice pair. He seems so much more relaxed with Kosmo, and I know he’s just Keith’s pet, but I can’t help but feel a _little_ jealous you know? They get along so well, which is nice.” 

Lance smiles, and a warmth spreads throughout him, as though the lions were not only laughing at him, but laughing with him. Jealous. Of a space wolf. Great.

He grins, running his fingers through his hair. “Hey, I wonder if I should grow my hair out more. What do you guys think?”

Red’s eyes seem to glow briefly, and Lance takes it as a yes. He closes his eyes then, his recollection of the day falling short as his heart takes claim to his memory. Veronica knew how he felt, yet Keith didn't… Yet… Keith and Kosmo had been almost welcoming on the rooftop. Kosmo had nearly killed them both, though Lance found himself lost in the image of Keith piled on top of him, long black hair hanging loosely, miniscule beads of sweat making his skin glisten beneath the setting sun.

As long as they could share more of those moments, somehow, Lance didn’t mind Keith not having a phone.

**Author's Note:**

> Hi there! Thank you so much for reading. What did you think of it?  
> I'll try to have chapter 2 up as soon as possible, but please keep in mind that updates will be irregular, though I'll certainly do my best to update quickly. 
> 
> As I know most of us are trying to overcome season 7, I'm also open to suggestions for content you might like to see here. I've already got the plot figured out, including character appearances and involvement, but if you have any requests for things you'd like to see, I'm happy to listen as long as they're within reason. This fic won't contain any smut, but depending on how this goes, I /might/ whip up something extra. 
> 
> Again, thank you for reading this first chapter!


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